6 Bad Habits That Single Men Need to Break

The beauty of being a bachelor is you only have to focus on your No. 1 (that’s you!) You can sleep as late as you want on weekends, eat whatever you please, and create a mess without anyone having any say about it but you. Unfortunately, these minor bachelor-pad luxuries can quickly turn into ugly habits. If you have any plans to bring a significant other into the picture in the future, it may be time to reevaluate some of your not-so-sexy tendencies. So before you send a potential life-partner running for the door, consider breaking these six habits.

1. Playing video games all weekend

This weekend past time might have been fun when you were in college, high school, or even middle school for that matter. But newsflash: a world exists outside of your apartment (or virtual reality) on the weekends. There’s nothing wrong with some fun down-time escaping into your favorite video game— but you’re getting a bit old to spend two days straight in your boxers glued to your computer. For an alternative dedicated activity, consider signing up for a weekend workout class.

2. Never cooking a single meal

Middle-aged man preparing food in kitchen

Source: iStock

No your microwavable meals and take-out orders don’t count. And boasting that you can “make a mean bowl of cereal” isn’t sexy — it’s sad. There are plenty of easy meals you can learn to make at home that only require a few ingredients and entry-level cooking skills. Even just expanding your culinary knowledge slightly will bode well with any future love interests — plus you can impress your dates with a home-cooked meal.

3. Gorging from the carton

Ah, the classic bachelor-move (an image of Joey from Friends comes to mind.) Why would you dirty up a cup or bowl when you could drink or eat straight from the container, right? Not so much. Even though you live alone, ideally you also get some visitors from time to time… visitors who might want to drink some of the juice that now includes some of your backwash. So do your guests (and your self) a favor and grab a glass.

4. Skimping on decorations

If your apartment sports the same décor as your college dorm room, it’s time for a change. Your place doesn’t need to look like a West Elm catalogue, but at least make a little bit of effort in the presentation of your bachelor pad. Invest in some staple furniture pieces and some real art (no, movie posters don’t count). Follow some of these guidelines from Elle Décor to making the most of your space. Not only will you feel better about the place you call home, but you’ll also impress friends and dates alike.

5. Wearing wrinkled clothes

Your mom may have ironed your shirts your entire life, but now that you’re an adult, its time to learn how do de-wrinkle your own clothes. Nothing looks more sloppy or unprofessional than a crinkled shirt— to employers and even dates. Don’t wait around for your next partner to iron-out your outfits, because chances are, you won’t be scoring any dates looking like a teenager. For a crash course on how to iron, follow this guide.

6. Only cleaning for special occasions

You have friends coming over, your parents are in town, or you know you’ll be bringing a date back to your place tonight — time to cut through weeks worth of un-cleaned damage. Sound about right? Just because you’re a bachelor doesn’t mean it’s okay to forgo hygiene. Cleaning shouldn’t just be reserved for special occasions; it should become a part of your weekly schedule. Take some pride in your place and make cleaning a priority (and no, frantic Febreze-ing doesn’t replace cleaning). Follow some of these cleaning tips from Life Hack to help get the job done and embrace your inner Mr. Clean.